Vegetable oil or vegetable oil is accused of containing high cholesterol levels and can cause a number of health problems, including heart disease and stroke. However, is the claim true?
For the people of Indonesia, oil is an important ingredient in cooking. Various types of food, ranging from omelettes, sausages, to fried rice, are cooked using cooking oil. Of the various types of cooking oil available in the market, vegetable oil is the oil that is most often chosen.
Vegetable oils are oils made from plant or vegetable extracts, such as coconut, palm oil, corn, nuts, to olives.
Although there are several types of vegetable oils that are considered healthy, not a few people think that the use of vegetable oils, such as palm oil, can have a negative impact on health.
Facts Behind Vegetable Oil
Many believe that vegetable oils, particularly palm oil, contain high amounts of cholesterol. Frequent use of this oil for cooking is believed to increase the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. However, this is wrong.
It is true that consuming too much cholesterol will increase the risk of developing a number of the above diseases. However, cholesterol is not a substance derived from plants or their processed products. Cholesterol is only contained in foods of animal origin, such as fatty meats, offal, eggs, and cheese.
So, when you eat meat cooked in vegetable oil, the cholesterol you get is mostly not from the vegetable oil used, but from the fat of the meat.
Vegetable oils that are claimed to be unhealthy, especially palm oil, do contain high enough saturated fat, so they are claimed to increase the production of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the liver. However, the increase in cholesterol will not be significant if it is not accompanied by the consumption of high-cholesterol animal foods.
Various studies conducted so far have not been able to confirm a direct link between the consumption of palm oil alone with an increase in levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood.
Healthier Choice of Vegetable Oils
Not all vegetable oils need to be shunned. Some types of vegetable oils actually contain unsaturated fats that are healthy for the body. Adequate intake of unsaturated fats can help the growth of body cells, maintain ideal body weight, increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.
The following are types of vegetable oils that are good for health:
Olive oil
Olive oil has a high content of unsaturated fats and antioxidants. About 70% of the fat in olive oil is unsaturated fat. One type of healthy fat found in olive oil is omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that, olive oil also contains vitamin E and vitamin K.
Canola oil
Canola oil is arguably the type of vegetable oil that contains the least amount of saturated fat. Just by using 1 tablespoon of canola oil for cooking, you've got 125 calories and about 12% of vitamin E and vitamin K needed daily.
In fact, a study says that consumption of canola oil can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Corn oil
Another good vegetable oil to use is corn oil. Just like olive oil, corn oil is also enriched with quite a lot of unsaturated fats and vitamin E. One tablespoon of corn oil contains about 120 calories.
Based on a study, consumption of corn oil is known to have good effects, where this type of vegetable oil is seen to reduce the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.
Although the above vegetable oils are more friendly to health, that does not mean their use can be arbitrary. We recommend that you consult further with a nutritionist to determine the type and amount that is safe to use these vegetable oils.
In addition, include adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes eating a balanced nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking.
